Signs Of Friendship

Signs of Friendship

Q: What signs of friendship did Saul’s son Jonathan give David?

• a. a gold ring, sword, and crown
• b. part of his inheritance as firstborn
• c. his robe, tunic, belt, sword, and bow

In Disney’s The Fox and the Hound, Tod (the fox) and Copper (the hound) become friends. Since they are natural enemies, their friendship is complicated and challenging. Similarly, David and Jonathan were unlikely buddies with a complicated friendship.

Jonathan and David, best friends, were an unlikely pair because David would become king instead of Jonathan, the rightful heir to the throne.

At first King Saul liked David. Whatever Saul asked him to do, David did it well. Saul made David a commander in his army. One day the army returned from a battle with the Philistines, and the women of the towns came out with tambourines and cymbals and sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”

Saul was jealous and angry. The next day when David was playing the harp, the king hurled a spear at David, trying to pin him to the wall. From then on, Saul wanted David dead.

Meanwhile, the friendship between David and Jonathan remained strong. More than once, Jonathan warned David of King Saul’s plans so David could escape. Jonathan was loyal to Saul because Saul was his father, and he was loyal to David because David was his friend. But it was Jonathan’s loyalty to God above all else that allowed him to be able to treat both his father and his friend fairly.

For You

Jonathan had reason to be jealous of David, who was going to take Jonathan’s rightful place as king, but he wasn’t. Jonathan recognized this as God’s plan. Jealousy is a friendship killer, so if you find it creeping into your life, accept that no matter what you might wish for, God’s plans for you are best.

Answer: c

Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.   1 Samuel 18:3-4

(The Whole Story: 1 Samuel 18:1-16)